HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A routine traffic stop in Hillsborough County led to a major drug bust early Monday morning, with deputies seizing lethal amounts of fentanyl from a passenger in the vehicle.
Early Tuesday, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies made a traffic stop near Interstate 75 North and East Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. During the stop, a passenger in the vehicle admitted to having a history of methamphetamine use and a torch between his legs.
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A K9 unit was called in, and the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the car. A search of the vehicle revealed a Springfield Hellcat pistol, a digital scale, and three different drugs: marijuana, methamphetamine, and a significant amount of fentanyl—enough to potentially kill 51,500 people.
The passenger, 38-year-old Ryan Edward Starr, was arrested and faces multiple charges, including armed trafficking in fentanyl and amphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
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“I commend our deputies for their proactive patrol in our community,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “This potentially routine traffic stop removed enough fentanyl to kill 51,500 people from our streets and ensures this dangerous man can no longer spread this poison here in Hillsborough County.”
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